General News
19 January, 2025
New year grandchild brings joy to Rainbow
Baby Monica Therese Foster isn't only the first child to dad Michael Foster and mum Michelle Penrose, but she's among the first members of a new generation.
Arriving at 11.33am on Wednesday January 1 and born a couple of weeks earlier than expected, Monica was 47cm long and weighed 2430g.
She was born in Warrnambool.
"Moni", as her mum Michelle affectionately calls her, is the first grandchild of Jacki Summerhayes, of Rainbow.
The turn of the year marked the end of Generation Alpha and the start of Generation Beta, a cohort of babies born between 2025 and 2039.
According to futurist and researcher Mark McCrindle, Gen Beta will find a balance between connectivity and expressing themselves.
But Michelle has simple dreams and hopes for her daughter:
"I have been blessed with having Monica and am so grateful she's happy and healthy," she said.
"My dream for her is that she always finds a positive side to everything, that she has the strength to be herself and never feel judged, that she finds joy in whatever she chooses in life, and that she always knows how cherished and loved she really is."